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Peorro, maloliente insecto carroñero comiendo una rata muerta, en Reserva Nacional Nonguen, concepcion.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Orthoptera
Suborder:Caelifera
Family:Acrididae
Genus:Chorthippus
Species:C. brunneus
Binomial name
Chorthippus brunneus
The chirping of grasshoppers is a familiar sound from Irish meadows and roadside verges during the summer months. Undoubtedly contributing its song to this chorus is the Common Field Grasshopper, which is one of our most common and widespread grasshopper species. It is found throughout Ireland, although it does becomes scarcer in the far north.
Common field grasshoppers belong to an order of insects called the Orthoptera which includes grasshoppers, crickets and locusts. They are fairly large grasshoppers, typically between 18-24 mm (c. 0.7-1 inch) long, and while they are generally considered to be a brown grasshoppers, they come in a bewildering array of colours that include greens, browns and purples; generally with variable degrees of black, brown or grey mottled markings.
Like all grasshoppers common field grasshoppers posses a pair of powerful hind legs that allow them to jump high into the air; long, toughened fore-wings that serve to protect the delicate hind-wings beneath; and powerful biting mouth parts. In this species the fore-wings show a distinct bulge at the base. They also often have an orange tinge at the tip of their abdomen, although this is not always present.
The variability in colouration and markings means that accurate identification of grasshopper species in the field requires careful examination of the specific shape and markings of particular body parts. The common field grasshopper, for example, has an inflected and angular pronotum (the frontmost section of the animal’s thorax) with black, wedge-shaped markings that don’t reach all the way to the back edge. It also has relatively few “stridulatory” pegs on its hind legs (the protrusions that, when rubbed against the toughened veins of the forewings, allow the grasshopper to produce its characteristic song).
Common field grasshoppers are strong fliers that are particularly active in warm weather. They prefer dry, grassy habitats, and are often common on roadside verges, parkland and waste ground. On warm days it can often be seen sunning itself in the open on walls, patches of bare earth or on paths. The familiar song consists of a series of chirps, each around half a second long. Males often chirp at each other in turn, and this sonic rivalry is characteristic of the species. During courtship they also produce a “ticking” sound.
During the summer female grasshoppers lay a large egg pod containing up to 15 eggs just below the surface of dry ground, or sometimes inside anthills. There they will stay over winter before hatching the following May. Grasshoppers go through a development cycle known as “incomplete metamorphosis”, in which larval stages of the insect – termed “nymphs” – tend to resemble miniature, wingless versions of the adults. These nymphs go through a series of moults before they finally reach their winged, sexually mature adult form, usually sometime in June.
Once they have mated and laid their eggs, the adults, which are unable to survive the winter, will ultimately perish. However, the common field grasshoppers is better able to survive cold conditions than many other grasshopper species. It’s not unheard of for them to survive into December before they finally succumb to the inclement weather.
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Boletobiinae, Aventiini
Eugnathia lunifera
Tai Po Kau Headland, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
in questi giorni è difficile trovare un fiore senza ospiti, vedere per credere !
Reed Beetle (Donacia spec)
Location: Altare, Liguria, Italy
thanks Fizgig=) !
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini
Ectropis bhurmitra
Tai Yueng Che, Lam Tsuen Valley. Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Lymantriinae, Arctornithini
Arctornis sp indet
(a female)
Wong Lung Hang Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
There are many species in the genus in Hong Kong, all of which are white with a tiny black discal spot on the forewing. None of the 12 or more species in HK has been correctly identified as yet. All require dissection to be in with a chance of being identified to species, though rearing the larvae and assessing the dna are more reliable methods to obtain a species i.d.
Whole slab 50197 in oval; 2 pieces; piece with 50197 has another notonectid and what appears to be a vertebra (Tany.?) on the flip side; scale bar: 5 mm with 0.1 mm div.
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Erebinae
Erebus ephesperis
Wong Lung Hang Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Herminiinae
Progonia oileusalis
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Boletobiinae
Lopharthrum comprimens
Wong Lung Hang Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Geometridae, Ennominae
Fascellina plagiata
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Tribe: Polyommatini
Genus: Polyommatus
Species: P. icarus
Meadows, Grasslands, Quarries.
Seen in suitable habitats throughout Ireland.
Bird's foot trefoil.
30-35mm (1.09 inches)
[Small Tortoiseshell 50mm]
The Common Blue is the most colourful of the Blues found in Ireland. The male is a very attractive shiny blue, whereas the female is mainly brown.
The underside is very decorative with orange crescents and black spots.
Male has blue wings with black-brown border and thin white fringe. Female brown, similar to Brown Argus, but with blue dusting near body.
The Common Blue is the most widespread blue butterfly in Britain and Ireland and is found in a variety of grassy habitats.
The brightly coloured males are conspicuous but females are more secretive. The colour of the upperwings of females varies from almost completely brown in southern England to predominantly blue in western Ireland and Scotland, but the colour is variable within local populations with some striking examples. Unlike Adonis and Chalkhill Blues, the dark veins do not extend into white fringes of wing margins.
It remains widespread but there have been local declines within its range.
Size and Family
Family: Blues
Size: Small
Wing Span Range (male to female): 35mm
Conservation Status
Butterfly Conservation priority: Low
European status: Not threatened
Caterpillar Foodplants
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) is the main foodplant. Other plants used include: Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil (L. pedunculatus), Black Medick (Medicago lupulina), Common Restharrow (Ononis repens), White Clover (Trifolium repens), Lesser Trefoil (T. dubium).
Distribution
Countries: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
Found throughout Britain and Ireland
Distribution Trend Since 1970’s = -15%
Habitat
Very common and found in a variety of habitats especially sunny sheltered spots. Examples of habitats include; downland, coastal dunes, undercliffs, road verges, acid grass and woodland clearings
It is also found on waste ground, disused pits and quarries, golf courses, and urban habitats such as cemeteries.
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Euteliidae, Eutellinae
genus & species indeterminate
pending voucher specimen curation; possibly in the genus Targalla
Wong Lung Hang Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Noctuidae, unplaced to subfamily
Elusa antennata
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Notodontidae, Dicranurinae
Antiphalera exquisitor
Tai Po Kau Headland, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Geometridae, Ennominae, Macariini
Chiasmia ornataria
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Kingdom=Animalia
Phylum=Arthropoda
Class=Insecta
Order=Hymenoptera
Suborder=Apocrita
Superfamily=Ichneumonoidea
Family=Braconidae?
Common name=Braconid parasitoid wasp?
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Thyrididae, Siculodinae
Herdonia hainanensis
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Erebinae, Ophiusini
Artena dotata
Wu Kau Tang, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Bombycidae, Bombycinae
Trilocha varians
(a male)
Mai Po Nature Reserve
New Territories
Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Nolidae, Nolinae
Nola sp cf tornotis
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Boletobiinae, Eublemmini
Eublemma rufiplaga
Tai Yueng Che, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini
Brunia antica (a female)
Tai Po Kau Headland, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Geometridae, Ennominae, Boarmiini
Psilalcis galsworthyi
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Boletobiinae, Aventiinae
Ataboruza divisa
This is the "semilux" form (the two taxa were synonymised by Holloway in Moths of Borneo, part 13, though for now I retain separate records to the two "forms")
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini, Spilosomina
Spilosoma obliqua
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Xyloryctidae, Xyloryctinae
Thymiatris sp nr arista
Tai Yeung Che, Lam Tsuen Valley, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Insecta: Lepidoptera
Noctuidae, Bagisarinae
Chasmina candida
Mai Po Nature Reserve
New Territories
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, this species is only recorded from mangrove habitats, or on the odd "good night" dispersing individuals might be recorded in other habitats up to 10km from mangrove.
An array of insects at the Museum of Natural Science at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Finglas Back Garden
16-04-2020
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Lycaenidae
Genus:Celastrina
Species:C. argiolus
Binomial name
Celastrina argiolus
Habitat: Locally found where remnants of woodland contain Holly. It is sometimes found in urban gardens and parks with suitable habitats.
It is double brooded from Dublin southwards and single brooded in the north.
Larval Food Plant: Holly Ilex aquifolium
Ivy Hedera helix
Flight Time: April and May
Mid-July to September (second generation)
Hibernation: Overwinters as a pupa.
In both sexes the ground colour of the upper wings of the adult is silvery-blue and tinged with lilac.
In the male upperwings there is a narrow black band on the margins of the forewings, wider at the apex and becoming thinner at the tornus. Chequered margins at termination of veins on forewings. The black marginal band is absent on the hindwings.
The female upperwings are darker than in the males and have a more pronounced and wider marginal band on the forewing. Each hindwing has a series of 6 submarginal black spots. Chequered margins at termination of veins on the forewings.
The underside in both sexes is similar the ground colour being a bluish-white with black spots.
Life Cycle of the Holly Blue
Ovum:
The white disc shaped egg is laid singly at the base of unopened flower buds on Holly in the spring brood and on Ivy in the summer brood.
Eggs hatch after 10-16 days, depending on the season.
Larva:
This fairly stout larva measures up to 16 mm in length, tapering towards the extremities.
The larva has a few recognised colour forms but usually when fully grown it is a translucent pale green sometimes with purplish-pink dorsal and lateral stripes. It has a shiny black retractile head.
On the dorsal surface of the 10th segment there is a honey gland (Newcomer's gland) whose secretions are attractive to ants. The body is covered with short whitish setae.
The larva emerges in May and feeds until early July inside the developing drupes on the female Holly tree and on the young terminal leaves of the male Holly tree.
The second brood larva feeds on the developing buds or flowers of Ivy during late August and September.
Prior to pupation the larva becomes a dull purplish colour and wanders from its food plant to pupate.
This larval stage lasts c.26 days.
See Holly Blue parasite - Listrodromus nycthemerus below.
Pupa:
Pupation probably takes place secreted by twigs and bark among the tangled roots and dead leaves within the growth of Ivy or on the undersurface of a Holly leaf. The pupa is attached by cremasteral hooks to a silk pad and supported by a silken girdle.
Pupa from the spring generation hatch within 10-18 days. Those from the summer generation overwinter , spending about 6 months in the pupal state.
Adult:
The adult emerges and is on the wing from mid-April to June and again in mid-July to September where it may be seen flying around holly bushes above head height.
Holy Blue Parasite:
The host specific parasitic Ichneumon wasp, Listrodromus nycthemerus, targets the Holly Blue butterfly by laying its egg in the larvae.
Here the Listrodromus grub lives and feeds on the body tissue of the developing butterfly larva.
Eventually the life cycle of this parasitoid, which is approx. 11mm in length, is completed inside the host and results in the emergence of a single adult Listrodromus wasp from what appears to be a normally formed Holly Blue pupa. The pupa dies soon after the emergence of the wasp.
The wasp will then seek new generation Holly Blue larvae in which to inject its egg.
There is evidence that the wasp population gradually builds up over a number of years and eventually, when it gets plentiful, kills a large proportion of pupae resulting in a 'crash' in Holly Blue numbers.
This produces a shortage of food for the parasitoid and its numbers also crash allowing the Holly Blue butterfly population return to normal.
The length of the Holly Blue-Ichneumon wasp cycles observed in Britain - from boom to bust - is about seven years.